Electrical connector having insulation penetrating means contactiong the conductors



Nov. 29, 1955 oRDoN 2 725,545

H. G 1 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HAVING INSULATION PENETRATING MEANS CONTACTING THE CONDUCTORS Filed Deo. 28, 1953 ATTORNEY `tially ay constant thickness,

2,725,545 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 y ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HAVING' INSULATION PENETRATIN CONDUCTORS.

Harry Gordon, New York, N. Y. Application December 28, 1953, vSerial No. 400,590 7 Claims. (Cl. 339-99) MEANS CONTACTING- THE This invention'relates to electric wire or electric cord connectors orcouplings, and themainobjectis the provision of anovel, practical and-simple connector to couple -together the juxtaposed ends of-electric wires to provide a Although the f inrvnovel--electric-wire connector which may be applied to the wires withouttheuse of any tools and whereby the wire coupling maybe achieved very quickly by persons withvout any skill in thehandling of electrical connectors.

A still further object is the provision of such a connector with means whereby -if the wires on either or both sidesof theconnector are pulledor tensed they are` the more-securely lockedfinthe: connector, thereby preventing accidental separation of either or both wires from the connector and thus opening the circuit.

The above as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the-following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered'parts de scribed below. It is to be notedy that the drawing is intended solely for thepurpose of illustration, and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarilyy to any or all of the exact detailsshown ordescribed except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briey to the drawing,

Fig. l is a rperspective view of the connector of this invention applied as a coupling for two-conductor wires, or a two-conductor cord.

Fig;- 2 is an exploded view of the parts or members shown in Fig. 1, in side elevation.

Fig. 3 isa sectionaljview taken on the line 3-.-3 of Fig: 1'.

Fig. 4=is a sectional Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing,

view taken on the line 4-4 of view taken on the line 5 5 of the numeral lllindicates the-coupling or connector of this invention, yformed ofl the two coupled` parts or members 11. and. 12. The members -11 and 12 comprise hollow shells,one of which, 11, is longer than the other, 12, and bothare provided with mutually engageable screw threads, as herein illustrated, shown at '13, for interlocking. the shells. Obviously, however, any other manner or means for interlocking the shells may be used, such as are conventional, including mere frictional engagement, not shown.

The shells 11 and 12 taper towards their outer ends, that is, toward the ends opposite the interengageable threads, ,and throughout their length they have substanso that thetaper follows the inner contourk ofxtheshellcas well asthe outer. In fact, insofar.l .as the iustantinvcntion is concerned, the inner taper alone is ofy consequence, as will become apparent below. Thus, within the-shell 11 there is a tapering-compartment14 terminating in an opening 16, and the shell 12;has;a.fsimilar tapering-compartment 15 terminating in asimilar opening 17. The shells have the juxtaposed portions of their respective compartments substantially cylindrical, ,as'shownat 18, so that the assembled coupling 10 contains the continuous compartment, from left to right, Figs. 3, 14, 18', 15, which tapers at both ends and has its intermediate f portion cylindrical.

Aseparate insert. 19 is used for the actual electrical connectionof'thewiresto bejoined electrically, and it is removably mounted in the cylindrical portion 18 of the connector housing. At each end of the connector compartment, that isin the tapering ends 14 and 15, a resilient, preferably rubber, sleeve or elongated washer 20 is positioned audhas a tapering external contour cornplementary to. thetapering internal end 14 or 15 of the continuous compartment; the internal conformation oi the sleeve 20 is. cylindrical and of the same diameter as the end openings 116, 17 of the shells. The sleeves 20 register.inthetapering'ends ,ofI the said continuous compartment.

The insert 19 comprises a solid cylinder 21 of nonresilientinsulatingtmaterial,having two diametrically 0pposed-longitudinal passages 22 and 22a extending there- -into .from;one:end, and another two similar passages Z3 and 23a extending-thereinto-through the other end ofthe cylinder, the-passages 22 and 23 being in alignment, as are also-the-passages-ZZQ and 23a. These passages lie close to the axis of the cylinder. Two additional passages, only one of which is shown, in Fig. 5, at 24, are provided through the cylinder in the same way through opposite ends thereof buty extending'through the axis ofthe cylinder and thus .joining thepassages'ZZ'and-Za into a single passage-and the-passages23 and 23a`into-a single passage.y

Thus, each such single passage, that is, the passages 22, 24, 22a and 23, 24, 23a, has substantially a ligure 8 cross-section, as-shownin Fig. 5. The center portion 25 of the cylinder remains solid, thus providing a partition between the two figure 8 passages.

On the outsidev of the cylinder'21 and lying inthe same plane as'-t.he.said figure 8 passages, longitudinal resilient metallicstripsZ are secured at their midpoints to the cylinder in any desired manner, as by screwsfZl. Grooves 28 may be providedin the cylinder for the strips to register in, but thisk is not essential. The strips are longer than the cylinder 21 and extend beyond the ends of the Cylinder, and have their extremities doubled back inwardto form pointed'prongs 29. The strips are normally deformedA in tension inthe shape substantially shown in .Fig. 2, that is, with the ends kof the strip extending radially outward from the surface of the cylinder.

Assumingv that the connector is to be used to couple the twoconductors 30 and 31. to the two conductors 30a and 31a, with the shells 1l and 12 separated, the conductors.30a and 31a are passed through the opening 17 and through the adjacent sleeve 20 and out a short distance forwardof the sleeve. Likewise the conductors 30 and` 31 are passed through the shell opening 16 and the adjacent sleeve 20. Then the extremities of the conductors 30a and 31a are entered into the passages 23 and 23a, respectively, of. the` cylinder 21, and similarly the ends of the conductors 30 and 31 are entered into the passages 2 2 and 22a, respectively, of the cylinder. Then, while squeezing the prongs,29` radially inward and entering iirst one end of the insert into its adjacent shell partway, the prongs penetrate through the insulation of the conductors to engage the metallic wire thereof. The same is then done with the other end of theinsert into the other shell. Finally, the two shells'are screwed together, further forcing down the prongs and locking them against withdrawal, thus closing the circuit through the two sets of conductors. Should a pulling apart force be applied to the conductors to tend to pull them from the connector, it is apparent that the prongs on one end of the insert will engage the edge of the adjacent sleeve 20 and compress it, thus jamming it against the conductors and the narrow end of the shell to prevent withdrawal of the conductors. The manner of disconnecting the coupled conductors is obvious.

In the above description the body of the insert .1.9 has been referred to as a cylinder. However, it is not necessary that this member have a cylindrical conformation in order to function as intended and herein elucidated, as it may be provided with any other suitable conformation. Further, the passages through the ends of the member 21, that is, the passages Z2, 24, 22a. and the passages 23, 24, 23a, have been illustrated and described as figure S in cross-section, owing to the fact that the side walls of the passage 2d are shown a distance apart less than the diameter of the conductor passages 23, 23a, etc. these side walls may be the same distance apart as the said diameter, and would therefore alter the cross-sectional shape, without defeating the objects of the invention, it is therefore believed advisable to point out that these passages need not have the figure 8 cross-section. However, by having the passage 24 of a lesser width than the diameter of the conductor passages, it is apparent that the conductors cannot pass or Slip from one such passage to the one diametrically opposite, as the reduced passage 24 provides obstructions in the form of shoulders 32 between the diametrically opposite passages.

Obviously, modifications in form or structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A connector for electrically coupling the ends of two wires, comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal passage extending thereinto through one end thereof, said body having a second longitudinal passage extending thereinto through the other end thereof in alignment with said first passage, the respective ends of said wires being adapted to be inserted into said passages, a resilient metallic strip secured longitudinally to said body and radially spaced from said passages, the ends of the strip extending beyond the ends of said body and being normally flexed radially outward, the extremities of said strip having inturned prongs thereon, said ends of said strip being adapted to be pressed radially inward to forcibly engage the tips of said prongs with said wires, and releasable means for locking said ends of said strip in the pressed inward position.

2. The connector set forth in claim l, said means comprising two complementary hollow shells having means for releasably interlocking the same and when interlocked forming an elongated hollow housing, the said housing having aligned openings in the ends thereof for the passage of said wires therethrough, the intermediate portion of said housing having a larger internal diameter than said openings, the thickness of said body in a longitudinal plane through said passages and said Strip approximately equalling the diameter of said intermediate portion, said body registering longitudinally in said intermediate portion of the housing, the ends of said strip engaging the wall of said intermediate portion thereby being constrained from radially outward movement.

3. The connector set forth in claim 2, the interior walls of said housing between the ends of said intermediate portion and said openings tapering toward said openings thereby providing sockets adjacent said openings, each of said sockets having a sleeve of resilient material mounted therein, the inner end of said sleeve being positioned closely adjacent one of said prongs, said wires passing through said sleeves, said sleeve hence being compressed by said one of said prongs upon application of a force Since tending to pull the wire passing therethrough out of its said opening.

4. A connector comprising an elongated body having two diametrically opposed longitudinal passages extending at least partway thereinto through each end thereof, each of said passages in one end of the body being aligned with one of the passages in the other end of the body, longitudinal metallic strips secured to the outside of the body lying in the plane of said passages, said strips norrnally having their ends flexed radially outward, said strips having a length greater than the length of the body and extending beyond both ends of the body, the extremities of said strips having inturned prongs thereon adapted to penetrate the insulation of the ends of conductors registering in said passages upon pressing said ends of the strips radially inward, an elongated hollow housing, said body being mounted in the intermediate portion of said housing, said body being composed of a non-resilient insulating material, said housing being divided into two complementary shells along a plane through the intermediate portion thereof and having means for releasibly interlocking said shells, said housing having aligned reduced end openings and having the inner Walls thereof between said end openings and said intermediate portion tapering toward said end openings, the diameter of said body along said plane approximately equalling the internal diameter of said intermediate portion whence the wall of said intermediate portion constrains said pressed in ends of the strips against outward radial movement, the tapering portions of the housing having resilient sleeves registering therein and extending longitudinally between said end openings and said prongs.

5. The connector set forth in claim 4, said body having longitudinal grooves therein of the same width as said strips and positioned in the plane of said strips and passages, and means securing the intermediate portions of said strips in the floors of said grooves.

6. A connector comprising an elongated hollow housing having aligned end openings, the inner diameter of the housing being at a maximum in the intermediate portion thereof, the inner walls of the housing between said intermediate portion and said end openings tapering tov-.lard the latter, said housing being divided into two complementary shells along a transverse plane through said intermediate portion and having means for releasably interlocking said shells, said tapering end portions of the housing having sieeves of resilient material regsitering therein, and a separable insert positioned in said intermediate portion, said insert comprising an elongated body of non-resilient insulating material, two diametrically spaced longitudinal passages extending partway into said body through each end thereof, each of said passages at one end or the body being aligned with one of the passages at the other end of the body, diametrieally opposed longitudinal resilient metallic strips mounted cn the body in the same plane as said passages, said strips being longer than the body and having their ends normally iiexed radially outward, the extremities of said strips having radially inturned prongs thereon, the ends of two pairs of insulated conductors being adapted to pass through said openings into the housing and into said passages, said ends of said strips being adapted to be pressed radially inward to force said prongs to penetrate the insulation of the conductors, said end portions of the strips when pressed inward as aforesaid being held by the walls of said intermediate portion Substantially flush with the surface of the body thus constraining said prongs from radial movement outward, said sleeves constraining said prongs and hence said conductors against outward movement of the conductors through the end openings.

7. A connector comprising an elongated housing enclosing a compartment, the ends of the housing having openings therethrough into the compartment, the intermediate portion of the compartment having a larger diameter than said openings, the ends of the compartment between said intermediate portion and said openings tapering toward said openings, a resilient sleeve registering in each of said ends of the compartment, a separable insert mounted in said intermediate portion comprisingy an elongated body, said body having two diametrically spaced longitudinal passages extending partway thereinto from each end of the body, each of said passages at one end of the body being aligned with one of said passages at the other end of the body, said housing being divided into two complementary shells along a transf'crse plane through said intermediate portion, said shells having means for releasably interlocking the same, said body having two diametrically spaced longitudinal resilient strips of metal thereon lying in the plane of said passages and positioned radially outward from the passages, the thickness of said body through said last-named plane being approximately equal to the diameter of said intermediate portion, said strips having radially inwardly projecting pointed prongs on their extremities, the ends of said strips being normally exed radially outward, said shells when separated from each other and from said insert being adapted to have the ends of two pairs of insulated conductors passed through said openings and through said sleeves and into the longitudinally opposite passages of the body thus positioning each of said conductor ends radially inward from and adjacent one of said prongs, the ends of said body being insertable into said shells after pressing the ends of said strips radially inward into approximate parallelism with the passages thus simultaneously forcing said prongs to penetrate the insulation of the conductors, the Walls of said intermediate portion of the compartment after insertion of said body into the shells as aforesaid blocking said prongs against withdrawal thereof from the conductors, said prongs in the assembled housing being positioned adjacent said sleeves whereby upon application of a force tending to pull the conductors from the housing Said prongs engage against and compress said sleeves and jam said sleeves against the conductors and said openings to prevent withdrawal of the conductors.

Preferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

